A recent incident involving a South Loop man has once again put him in legal trouble. Charles Rix, a 29-year-old man, was arrested by Chicago police on multiple narcotics charges, including the manufacture and delivery of heroin. This arrest comes just two weeks after a jury found him liable for a woman’s drug-related death.
The police encountered Rix in Portage Park around 9 p.m. on June 24. He was found slumped in the driver’s seat of a 2019 Hyundai Elantra, drooling and with his head down. Officers noticed that the vehicle was still in drive, but Rix’s foot was on the brake. After waking him up, the car started to move forward, but the police quickly intervened and shifted the vehicle into park.
During their investigation, the officers discovered various packaged narcotics in Rix’s possession. A suspected Xanax pill was found near the gear shifter, and a coin purse in the driver’s side door panel contained individually packaged baggies of suspected white and brown heroin, as well as suspected Xanax and Adderall intended for street sale. The heroin alone was estimated to weigh 16 grams with a street value of $2,400. Additionally, two crack pipes were found in the vehicle, indicating further drug use.
Rix exhibited signs of impairment, including being unsteady, confused, sweating profusely, with dilated pupils and mumbled speech. Despite denying taking any narcotics, he admitted to taking methadone every morning. He underwent a field sobriety test, during which he showed multiple clues of impairment and swayed during a balance test.
Following his arrest, Rix was charged with manufacture-delivery of heroin, possession of controlled substances, driving under the influence, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Judge John Hock released him to await trial, noting that he had no prior criminal record in Illinois.
Interestingly, a purse found in Rix’s car contained a collection of packaged narcotics, including pill bottles bearing the name of his co-defendant in a recent wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit involved the death of a 21-year-old woman, Callen Griffin, who overdosed in Rix’s apartment. The jury awarded $20,000 to Griffin’s estate, holding Rix and his co-defendant responsible for providing illegal drugs to Griffin and failing to seek medical help when she overdosed.
The tragic events leading to Griffin’s death shed light on the dangers of drug abuse and the legal consequences that can arise from such actions. The ongoing legal proceedings involving Rix serve as a reminder of the importance of accountability and responsibility in drug-related incidents.
